Civic exam and French levels – what France asks of newcomers from 2026
Last updated 25 September 2026Rules checked every MondayOfficial sourcesSources & methodology →
Since 1 January 2026, a first multi-year card in France needs French at A2 and a pass in the civic exam, and a first resident card needs B1. Here is who signs the OFII integration contract, which tests count, and how to get 32 answers right out of 40.
Since 1 January 2026, speaking French is no longer only useful for staying in France – it is a condition. Non-EU nationals applying for a first carte de séjour pluriannuelle (multi-year residence permit) must prove French at level A2 and pass a new civic exam; a first carte de résident (10-year resident card) needs B1 plus the civic exam. Naturalisation now requires B2. The rules come from the immigration law of 26 January 2024 and its decrees.
| When | What changed |
|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | First multi-year card: French at A2 and the civic exam, for applicants under 65 |
| 1 January 2026 | First resident card: French at B1 and the civic exam, for applicants under 65 |
| 1 January 2026 | The civic training must be completed before the multi-year card is issued, and ends with the civic exam |
| 1 January 2026 | Naturalisation by decree: civic exam required |
| Now | Naturalisation, and nationality by marriage: French at B2 |
| 1 May 2026 | First residence card €350 (was €225), renewal €250; naturalisation stamp duty €255 (was €55) |
Source: Service-Public and the Ministry of the Interior, read 23 September 2026.
What is the OFII integration contract?
The contrat d'intégration républicaine, or CIR (republican integration contract), is signed between the State and a non-European national admitted to stay for the first time who intends to settle long-term. OFII (the French Office for Immigration and Integration) prepares it. It lasts 1 year, and the prefect can extend it by up to 1 year. EU and EEA citizens and family members living with them are not concerned.
At your OFII interview you take a written and oral French test. If you score below A2, OFII can prescribe a language course of 600 hours; once you accept it, attending becomes an obligation under the contract. OFII offers a 600-hour classroom course for people who speak no French at all, and a fully remote course for everyone else. The civic training is compulsory and free: 4 sessions totalling 24 hours, over four days from 9:00 to 17:00, spread over up to 4 months, with an interpreter if you need one.
| Your visa or card | Do you sign the CIR? |
|---|---|
| Long-stay visa 'salarié' (employee) | Yes |
| 'Vie privée et familiale' (private and family life) | Yes, in most cases |
| Refugee or subsidiary protection | Yes |
| Talent card (formerly the talent passport), student, visitor | No |
| Intra-company transfer, seasonal worker, trainee, temporary worker | No |
| EU or EEA citizen and family | No |
Source: Service-Public, read 23 September 2026.
You are also exempt if you completed at least 3 school years at a French secondary school or at least 1 university year in France. If you work and have signed the CIR, training towards A2 provided by your employer counts as working time up to 80 hours, with your pay maintained; you can also use your CPF (personal training account) and take leave.
Which French level do you need – A2, B1 or B2?
The level depends on what you apply for. For residence cards, renewals are not concerned, and the rules apply only to applicants under 65.
| You apply for | French level | Civic exam |
|---|---|---|
| A first multi-year card | A2 | Yes |
| A first resident card – for example as the spouse of a French national, the parent of a French child, through family reunification, as an EU long-term resident or for a permanent resident card | B1 | Yes |
| Naturalisation by decree | B2, spoken and written | Yes, plus an interview at the prefecture |
| Nationality by marriage (declaration) | B2 | No |
| Renewal of your card | No new requirement | No |
Source: Service-Public and the Ministry of the Interior, read 23 September 2026.
For a multi-year card, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, stateless people, their families and holders of cards not subject to the CIR are not concerned by the A2 and civic exam rule. For naturalisation, refugees and stateless people over 70 with at least 15 years' residence need no language certificate. One idea never became law: the 2024 immigration bill included a French requirement before arrival for family reunification, but the Conseil constitutionnel struck that article down on 25 January 2024.
How does the civic exam work?
The examen civique (civic exam) was created by the law of 26 January 2024. It checks what you know about France and how you would act in everyday situations. For naturalisation, the programme covers French history, the principles and institutions of the Republic, the rights and duties of citizens, and France's place in Europe and the world.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Format | 40 multiple-choice questions in French: 28 on knowledge, 12 on real-life situations, one right answer out of 4 |
| Pass mark | 32 correct answers (80 per cent) |
| Time | 45 minutes at most, on a tablet or computer |
| Where | Centres approved by the Ministry of the Interior: CCI Paris Île-de-France or France Éducation international |
| Retakes | At any time, as often as you need |
| Validity | The pass certificate does not expire; a resident-card pass also counts for a multi-year card |
| Fraud | A 2-year ban from the exam |
Source: Ministry of the Interior and Service-Public, read 23 September 2026.
You must pass the exam before you file your residence or naturalisation application; for a multi-year card it comes at the end of the civic training. For residence cards, beneficiaries of international protection, nationals covered by certain bilateral agreements and people over 65 are not subject to it. Preparation can be entirely free: the Ministry of the Interior publishes the programme, thematic sheets and the official lists of knowledge questions. Paid sites are not run by the ministry.
How do you prove your French – and where can you learn?
For residence cards, the Ministry of the Interior recognises only two tests: the TCF, from France Éducation international, and the TEF, from CCI Paris Île-de-France. Certificates are valid for 2 years. Diplomas count too: DELF, DALF, DELF Pro, DCL, DFP, DUEF, a French qualification from level 3 such as a CAP or BEP, or the diplôme national du brevet. Diplomas issued abroad are not accepted, even from a French-speaking country. For naturalisation, you can use the brevet, a French level-3 diploma, a B2 diploma, or a TCF or TEF certificate less than 2 years old.
| Provider | What it offers | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| OFII | The CIR language course, in a classroom or remotely | Paris regional office: 83 rue de Patay, 75013 Paris; 01 45 86 06 22; weekdays 8:30–12:00 and 13:30–16:30 |
| Your employer | Training towards A2 if you signed the CIR | Counts as working time up to 80 hours |
| City of Paris | French classes in some forty schools, Paris'Anim centres, library conversation workshops, sociolinguistic workshops | Paris only |
| France Éducation international | TCF, DELF, DALF; DELF scolaire for ages 12 to 17 | Approved to run the civic exam |
| CCI Paris Île-de-France | TEF | Approved to run the civic exam |
Source: Service-Public, the Service-Public directory, the Ministry of the Interior and the City of Paris, read 23 September 2026.
Take Anna Andersson, arriving on a 'salarié' long-stay visa with some school French. She takes the OFII test, accepts the course if she scores below A2, completes the civic training and passes the civic exam. Once her French is solid, she sits a TCF or TEF – and files for her first multi-year card while the certificate is valid. Part 15 covers the resident card and French citizenship.
What to do now
| Step | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check whether your visa or card comes with the CIR | Before your OFII appointment |
| 2 | Take the OFII French test and accept any course prescribed | At your OFII interview |
| 3 | Complete the 24-hour civic training | Before your multi-year card is issued |
| 4 | Prepare with the ministry's free official material | Before you book the exam |
| 5 | Pass the civic exam and get a TCF or TEF certificate, or use a French diploma | Before you file; certificates last 2 years |
| 6 | Budget €350 for a first card and €255 for naturalisation | When you apply |
Source: Service-Public and the Ministry of the Interior, read 23 September 2026.
Official sources
The official pages this guide is based on, read 23 September 2026. Links open the authority’s own website.
- Service-Public.fr (DILA, Premier ministre) · service-public.gouv.fr
- Ministère de l'Intérieur – Formation civique · formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr
- Service-Public.fr (DILA, Premier ministre) · service-public.gouv.fr
- Service-Public.fr (DILA, Premier ministre) · service-public.gouv.fr
- Ministère de l'Intérieur – Formation civique · formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr
- Ministère de l'Intérieur · immigration.interieur.gouv.fr
- Service-Public.fr (DILA, Premier ministre) · service-public.gouv.fr
- Service-Public.fr (DILA, Premier ministre) · service-public.gouv.fr
- Service-Public.fr (DILA, Premier ministre) · service-public.gouv.fr
Relocate in Europe provides general information, not legal or financial advice for your individual situation. Check with the authority named above before you act – rules change, and your case may differ.